Method and device for charging battery

1. A method for charging a battery using a multi-stage constant current charging scheme, in which a plurality of sequential stages are predetermined over which the open circuit voltage OCV of an anode of the battery decreases with time, and in which for each stage there is a predetermined charging rate at a constant current, wherein such predetermined sequential stages are defined based on the value of the slope of the differential of the OCV with respect to the state of charge SOC of the battery (dOCV/dSOC), such that the value of the slope dOCV/dSOC at any of the boundaries of any stage containing a maximum or a minimum differs from the value of the slope dOCV/dSOC at that maximum or minimum by no more than a predetermined difference; the method further comprising: monitoring the SOC or the charging voltage of the battery; determining from the SOC or the charging voltage of the battery in which of the stages the battery is; applying the respective predetermined charging rate for the duration of the stage; and repeating the above process for each successive stage.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: monitoring whether a charging voltage of the battery has reached a predetermined voltage value when a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages is the last stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages or a second stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, which is next to the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, is the last stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages; and applying a maximum charging voltage to the battery when the charging voltage reaches the predetermined voltage value.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the predetermined charging rates is maintained at a constant value for a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, and a difference between a potential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolyte solution of the battery is determined to be less than a predetermined value at an ending point of the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the predetermined value is 2×10−6 volt.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the predetermined charging rates is maintained at a constant value for a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, and a difference between a potential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolyte solution of the battery is determined to be greater than zero for the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a value of a first of the predetermined charging rates is greater than a value of a second of the predetermined charging rates.

7. A device for charging a battery comprising: a processor; a memory connected to the processor; and a charging interface connected to the battery, wherein the processor performs a program stored in the memory to perform charging of a battery using a multi-stage constant current charging scheme, in which a plurality of sequential stages are predetermined over which the open circuit voltage OCV of an anode of the battery decreases with time, and in which for each stage there is a predetermined charging rate at a constant current, wherein such predetermined sequential stages are defined based on the value of the slope of the differential of the OCV with respect to the state of charge SOC of the battery (dOCV/dSOC), such that the value of the slope dOCV/dSOC at any of the boundaries of any stage containing a maximum or a minimum differs from the value of the slope dOCV/dSOC at that maximum or minimum by no more than a predetermined difference; the program further comprising: monitoring the SOC or the charging voltage of the battery; determining from the SOC or the charging voltage of the battery in which of the stages the battery is; applying the respective predetermined charging rate for the duration of the stage; and repeating the above process for each successive stage.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the processor performs the program stored in the memory to further perform: monitoring whether a charging voltage of the battery has reached a predetermined voltage value when a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages is the last stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages or a second stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, which is next to the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, is the last stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages; and applying a maximum charging voltage to the battery when the charging voltage reaches the predetermined voltage value.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein a first of the predetermined charging rates is maintained at a constant value for a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages, and a difference between a potential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolyte solution of the battery is determined to be less than a predetermined value at an ending point of the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined value is 2×10−6 volt.

11. The device of claim 7 , wherein a first of the predetermined charging rates is maintained at a constant value for a first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential of an anode of the battery and a potential of an electrolyte solution of the battery is determined to be greater than zero for the first stage of the plurality of predetermined sequential stages.

12. The device of claim 7 , wherein a value of a first of hte predetermined charging rates is greater than a value of a second of the predetermined charge rates.